J.J. Watt loves his brothers.
Just not enough to play for the league minimum.
Watt joked on Twitter Friday morning, responding to a tweet that suggested J.J. should sign with the Steelers for the league minimum in order to play with T.J. and Derek Watt in 2023.
J.J. retired after the 2022 season ended, moving on with life’s work after a Hall of Fame career. A first round pick of the Houston Texans in 2011, Watt became an immediate impact player and one of the best defenders of his era. Three times he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year, at the time only the second player in NFL history to do so, joining Lawrence Taylor. Aaron Donald would eventually be added to that list.
Watt was a dominant force who could play the run, sack the quarterback, and even caught three touchdown passes during the 2014 season. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his career and though Watt bounced back and had a solid 2022 campaign with the Arizona Cardinals, he’s hanging up his cleats at age 33. His next football stop will be Canton, Ohio, a sure-fire first ballot inductee.
Pittsburgh has loved signing siblings, including adding Derek Watt for the 2020 season to play on the same team as T.J. But a third Watt isn’t going to happen. Heck, even under the crazy hypothetical that J.J. did sign, there’s no guarantee all three brothers would’ve been together. Derek is a pending free agent and it’s uncertain if he’ll return. More of a special teamer than fullback, Watt saw his production fall off this season and he’s on the wrong side of 30.
Regardless, J.J. won’t be signing with the Steelers in the offseason, though it seems like he’ll be their #1 fan. By the sounds of it, he won’t be playing in the NFL ever again. But you do have to wonder. Given the fact he can still play and T.J.’s recent comments that J.J. is still working out like the machine he is, maybe he gets the itch to return to the football field again towards the end of 2023. He certainly wouldn’t be the first.
